At a Council Bluffs City Council meeting, Eric Miller, streetcar operations manager for the City of Omaha and project manager on the Council Bluffs transit study, presented recommendations to reshape local fixed-route and paratransit services.
The study, using FY2024 data, found annual ridership on the blue and yellow fixed routes of about 118,000 and showed that the West Broadway segment far outperformed outer-loop segments. Miller said the industry threshold for keeping a fixed route is roughly five boardings per hour and that “the outer parts of the blue and yellow route really do not support fixed route transit that they have today.”
The nut graf: the study recommends concentrating high-frequency service on West Broadway (maintaining 30-minute weekday and 60-minute Saturday service), reintroducing limited Sunday service, and replacing low-ridership outer-loop fixed service with either microtransit zones or targeted suburban/flex routes. Projected operating costs for a preferred option that keeps West Broadway service, adds limited Sunday service, and introduces a microtransit zone were presented at about $2.4 million annually; the study’s broader estimate for continuing the existing service pattern was roughly $2.5 million.
Miller told the council the study modeled alternatives including increased frequency on core segments, two terminal options, microtransit zones of roughly three square miles, and a flex-route hybrid that would operate as a more direct peak-period corridor within a zone. He also said paratransit users are “mostly within the existing three-quarter-mile area,” and recommended focusing paratransit coverage toward Downtown Omaha connections while considering grandfathering existing riders from outside a tightened zone.
Council members asked about per-ride cost and funding. One councilmember calculated roughly 377 riders per weekday and questioned the cost per passenger; Miller replied that the figures are comparable to other U.S. agencies and that the study’s restructured options aim to improve efficiency. Council discussion noted roughly half of the projected operating cost is expected to come from federal funding; local general fund, a separate transit tax levy and federal funds together cover the remainder. Miller also said the selected paratransit operator’s bid came in below the study’s paratransit estimate (about $750,000 for the coming fiscal year) and that the operator (a division of Via) can potentially commingle microtransit and paratransit trips under contract terms included in the RFP.
No formal council action was taken on the recommendations; the presentation was informational. Staff and the council discussed next steps including reviewing detailed cost estimates, exploring Sunday paratransit implications if fixed-route Sunday service returns, and considering mobility hubs and designated bus stops to improve safety and first/last-mile connections.
Ending: Miller said the study’s full report includes detailed maps, stop-level boardings, and cost breakdowns; councilmembers asked staff to share the report and to return with recommendations for any changes to service levels or procurement for microtransit operations.